Senate of the University of Jos has recommended the nomination of Professor Gray Goziem Ejikeme to serve as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Professor Ejikeme’s nomination to serve in that capacity takes effect from 23rd June, 2021 after the completion of the five-year tenure of the 9th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako.
Senate unanimously nominated Professor Ejikeme to serve as Acting Vice-Chancellor subject to the approval of the Honourable Minister of Education in the absence of a serving Governing Council for the University.
Professor Ejikeme is to oversee the activities of the University pending the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor by the University Governing Council. A letter to this effect signed by Registrar of the University of Jos and Secretary to Senate, Chief Monday Danjem, has been issued to Professor Ejikeme.
Professor Gray Goziem Ejikeme, a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Social Work, is a graduate of Psychology B.Sc. (Hons) from the University of Lagos. Professor Ejikeme obtained a PGDE, M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Science Degree in Social Work (MSSW) and PhD from the University of Jos among a host of other academic and professional certificates. Professor Ejikeme was awarded Fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association (FNPA) in November, 2014 and was honored with an Award of Excellence in Service to Humanity by the Nigeria Association of Social Workers in recognition of his numerous work to promote Social Work Profession and practice in Nigeria among many other Professional accolades.
A distinguished academic who believes in leadership by example, Professor Ejikeme took up appointment with the University of Jos in 1986 where he began teaching psychologically-oriented Sociology and Social Work Courses in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences. He has held several academic and administrative positions including Head of Department, Sociology; Head of Department, General and Applied Psychology; Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences; Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors and Senate Representative on the 13th Governing Council, University of Jos among others.
Professor Ejikeme’s higher degree research work in social work enabled him to specialize in a hybrid of two Social Science disciplines, Sociology and Psychology thereby having in-depth and useful insights into the interface between Social Psychology and Clinical Psychology.
The 13th Governing Council of the University of Jos, at its 8th Regular Meeting on 24th March, 2021 had re-appointed Professor Ejikeme as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) with effect from 11th December, 2020 for a second term of two (2) years.
Professor Ejikeme has to his credit successfully supervised over ten PhD candidates, supervised numerous M.Sc. research projects, served as external assessor/examiner to several Nigerian universities, attended international conferences in Michigan, San Francisco, Ghana and Monrovia, Liberia, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA, and the University of Djibouti. Professor Ejikeme has published profusely and has over sixty local and external/international publications in the fields of Psychology, Social Work, and Social Gerontology/Gerontological Social Work, Emotional and Social Intelligence (ESI), and Sociology of Education. He is the Editor of many journals.
Professor Ejikeme who hails from Afugiri, Umuahia, Abia State was happily married to late Mrs. Theresa Uchechi Ejikeme and they are blessed with three children.
Prof. Gray Goziem Ejikeme ends his important speeches with the following words that reflect his core values: “To God be the glory, Amen.”
Signed:
Abdullahi Abdullahi
Deputy Registrar, Information and Publications
22/6/21
